Voltage regulator



Nov. 10, 1925- 1, ,263

H. A. MAXFIELD VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed Sept. 25, 1921 INVENTOR Ham/094. Maxfl'e/d I BY ; ATTORNEY and State of P'atente d Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD A. MAXFIELD, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01' PENNSYL- VANIA.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR.

Application filed September as, 1951. Serial No. 502504.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD A. MAXFIELD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsbur in the county of Allegheny ennsylvania, have invented a new and useful .Im rovement in Voltage Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates tovoltage regulators and it has special relation to regulators of the vibratory type.

One object of my invention is toprovide a regulator of the above-indicated character which shall includemeans for insuring the vibratory action of the control magnet thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a regulator of the above-indicated character which shall include means controlled from the armature of the. regulated machine for varying the flux density of the magnetizable core of the control-electromagnet of the regulator.

My invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings,-

wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of circuits and apparatus of one embodiment of my inventlon;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the flux-varying member of Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a dlagrammatic illustration of a modification of the regulator of Fig. 1-; and

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate modifications of the regulator of Fig. 3.

The present invention is shown as an automobile voltage regulator but such showing is merely illustrative of the principles involved.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the regulator system includes agenerator 1 having an armature winding 2, field-magnet windings 3 and a commutator member 4 mounted. upon the armature shaft 5 and having load brushes 6 bearing thereup0n..

The generator'l may be connected to "any suitable load, here illustrated as a battery 7. A resistor 8 is included in circuit with the field-magnet windings 3, and a shunt circuit therefor 'is controlled by electromagnet 9. The electromagnet 9 has an E-shapedmagnctizable core 11, upon the central leg of which is wound an energizingcoi-l 12 connected in shunt to the-load brushes 6. The magnetlzable core 11 has an air gap 17 therein. A movable armature 13. is ivoted at 14 to one leg of the-core 11 and 1s adapted to be attracted against the action of the spring 15. The armature controls the contact members 16 located in the shunt circuit for the resistor 8.

A semi-circular disk 18, best shown in Fig. 2, is mounted upon the armature shaft 5 and 1s preferably constructed of iron or.

other ma-gnetiz'able material. The disk 18 will rotate at'the same speed as the generator 1, and in a path which includes the air gap 17. Since there is a predetermined magnetic flux traversing the core 11, producing a predetermined magnetic field in the air gap 17, then, when the disk 18 entore the air gap 17, the fluxdensity of the core 11, and the magnetic field in the air gap 17, will be varied. The variation of the flux density of the core member 11 will vary the pull of the core upon the armature 13, and, slnce this variation occurs intermit tently, the vibratory action of the armature 13 will be insured. Consequently, the eflienergizing coil 23 connected in shunt to the load brushes 6. A movable armature 24 is pivoted at 25 to one leg of the core member 23 and has a spring 26 co -operating therewith for biasing the armature to one position. The'armature 24 controls contact about the resistor 8. The .core 28 of a-sec- 0nd electromagnet 29 is mounted upon the magnetizable core 22, and has an enrgizing coil 31 connected across the loadbrushes 6 through contact members 32 which are controlled by a movable armature 33, pivoted at 34 to the core 28. The movements of the armature 33 also actuate a lever 35,- pivoted at 36 to a plate 37, which is secured at 38 members 27 included in the shunt circuit movable armature 24,

8 in the field-magnet-windingcircuit. The electromagnet 29 controls the circuit to its energizing coil, thus insuring the vibratory action thereof, and also themovements of the arm 39 to'varythe position of the arm 39 in the air gap 41, thereby producing sufiicientvariations in .the magnetic-flux i density of the core 22 of the electromagnet 21 to insure the vibratory action thereof. Since the arm 39 is controlled by a vibratory electromagnet, the described variations will occur intermittently.

Referring to Fig. 4, which illustrates a modification of the regulator 20 ofFig. 3,,

it has been deemed unnecessary to illustrate the generator 1, since the electrical connections of the energizing coils are the same in both figures. In Fig. 4, the regulator 20 comprises the electromagnet 21, having the magnetizable core 22, energizing coil 23- and ivoted at 25, and controlling contact mem ers 27 against the action of the spring 26. The second electromagnet 29 comprises the core 28 and the movable armature 33, pivoted at 34, but the energizing coil 31 thereof is connected directly across the load brushes and vibrates with variations in voltage thereof. As in the regulator 20-of Fig. 3, the movable armature 33' actuates'a lever 35,'pivoted at 36, to control the movements of an arm 39 in the air gap 41 of the magneti'zable core 22 of the main electromagnet.

No detailed statement of the operation of this regulator is deemed necessary, since it functions in the same manner as the re ulator 20 of Fig. 3. I

eferring to Fig. 5, it has again been deemed unnecessary to illustrate the generator 1 and the associated circuits. In Fig. 5, the regulator 51, comprises an electromagnet- 52, having a magnetizable core 53 and an energizing coil 54 connected in shunt to the load brushes of the regulated generator. A movable armature 55 co-operates with the magnet 52 and controls contact members 56, located in the shunt. circuit about the resistor inthe field-magnet winding circuit of the regulated machine. The

armature 55 is actuated against a spring 57 The magnetizable core 53 hasan air gap 58 therein, in which a magnetizable arm 59, pivoted at 61, is adapted to be moved. spring 62 engages the arm 59 and bears upon a stud 63 to maintain the arm 59 in a predetermined normal position.

In the operation of the regulator of Fig.

The electromagnet 21 controls the shunt circuit for the resistor 3 5, the armature 55 .Will be vibrated in the normal manner and, at the same time,

the position of the arm 59 in the air gap 58 will be varied to .vary the flux density of the core member 53 and thereby insure the vibratory action of the electromagnet 52, in the manner set forth with reference to the systems of F igs. 1 and 3.

It will be understood that the principles setforth hereinmay be applied to other types of vibratory regulators and, hence, modifications in the system and arrangement and location of parts may be made within the spirit and scope of my invention, and such modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In a voltage regulator, the combination With a magnetizable core, an energizing coil, a movable armature operated thereby, contact memberscontrolled by said armature, and means for biasing said armature to one position, of means for intermittently varying the magnetic-flux density of said core member.

2. In a voltage regulator, the combination with a magnetizable core, an energia ing coil and contact. members controlled thereby, of means for automatically and intermittently varying the'flux density of said core.

3. In a voltage regulator, the combination'with' a magnetizable core of substantially'E-shape, an energizing coil mountedthereupon, an armature pivoted to said core and operated by saidcoil, contact members tion with a. dynamo-electric machine having a regulator associated therewith, said regulator comprising afmagnetizable core having an air gap therein, an energizing coil, a movable armature operated thereby, C011 tact. members controlled by said armature and means for normally biasing said armature to one position, of means controlled by said dynamo-electric machine for varying themagnetic field in saidair gap.

- 5. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having a regulator associated therewith, said regulator comprising a magnetizable core hav-' ing an air gap therein, an energizing coil and contact members controlled thereby, of 1 means controlled by said dynamo-electric machine for varying the magnetic field in said air gap.

6. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having a regulator associated therewith, said regulator comprising ,a' magnetizable core and an energizing coil, of means controlled by said dynamo-electric machine for varying the flux density of said core.

7 In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having a resistor in circuit therewith and a regulator for controlling the effective value of said resistor, said regulator comprising a magnetizable core having an air gap therein, an energizing coil, an armature co-operating therewith and contact members controlled by said armature, of means controlled by said dynamo-electric machine for varying the magnetic field in said air gap.

8. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising a magnetizable core having an air gap therein, an energizing coil, an armature co-operating therewith, contact members controlled by said 'electromagnet armature, means for biasing said electromagnet armature to one position and means governed from said machine armature for varying the magnetic field in said air gap. a

9. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electnic machine having an armature and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising a magnetizable core having an air gap therein, contact members controlled thereby and means governed from said armature for varying the magnetic field in said air gap.

10. In a regulator system, the comb1nation with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising a magnetizable core, an energizing coil, and

means governed from said armature for varying the flux density of said core.

11. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising a magnetizable core having an air gap therein, an energizing coil and intermittently operating means for varying the magnetic field in said air gap.

12. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising a magnetizable core, an energizing coil and intermittently o eratin means for va in the flux density of said core. ry g 13. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising a magnetizable core, an energizing coil and intermittently operating means governed from said armature for varying the flux density of said core.

14, In a regulator system, the combination armature and a field-magnet winding, of

regulating means therefor comprising a magnetizable core having an air gap therein, an energizing coil and means operated by said machine and adapted to vary said air gap.

15. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature winding and a field-1nagnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising a magnetizable core having an air gap therein, an energizing coil therefor, a movable armature co-operating therewith, contact members controlled by, said electromagnet armature, a vibratory electromagnet associated therewith and having an energizing coil, a movable armature and contact members controlled thereby and a pivoted lever also controlled by said last-mentioned armature, said lever having a depending arm extending into said air gap and moved therein by said lever.

16. Ina regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature winding and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising an electromagnet having a magnetizable core, an air gap therein, and an energizing coil for said core; and a second electromagnet having an energizing coil, a movable armature and a pivoted lever controlled by said electromagnet armature, said lever having a depending arm extending into said air gap and moved therein by said electromagnet armature.

17. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature winding and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising an electromagnet having a magnetizable core, an air gap therein and an energizing coil for said core; a second electromagnet havin a movable armature; a pivoted lever contro led by said movable aramature and an arm extending into said air gap and actuated by said lever.

18. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature winding and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising a magnetizable core having an air gap therein and an energizing coil therefor, an electromagnet having a movable armature and means controlled thereby for varying said air gap.

19. In a regulator system, the combination with a dynamo-electric machine having an armature winding and a field-magnet winding, of regulating means therefor comprising an electromagnet having a magnetizable core, said core having an air gap therein, a second electromagnet connected in parallel relation with said first-mentioned electromagnet, a movable armature co-operating with said second electromagnet, a pivoted lever governed by movements of said armature, and means controlled by said. lever and extending into said air gap whereby movements of said electromagnet armature W111 vary the magnetic field 1n sald air gap to insure vibratory action of the first-menrality of electromagnets connected inparallel relation, a magnetizable core associated therewith and having an air gap therein and means governed by one of said electromagnets and having other means co-operating therewith for varying the flux density of Said core. I 1

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this thirteenth day of September 1921. I

HAROLD A. MAXFI'ELD. 

